The Houston Texans have traded star offensive guard Kenyon Green in exchange for Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, sources told ESPN. The Eagles will send Gardner-Johnson and a 2026 sixth-round pick to Houston, in exchange for Green and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo posted on X: “Sources to me and @RapSheet: The #Eagles are trading S C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the #Texans in exchange for former first-round G Kenyon Green plus a pick swap. CJGJ and a 2026 6th-rounder to Houston for Green and a 2026 5th.”
Gardner-Johnson, 27, was the fourth-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in the 2019 NFL Draft. He totaled 51 passes defensed, 18 interceptions and four sacks through the first 74 games of his career, initially joining the Eagles in a 2022 trade from the Saints. The Eagles signed the veteran safety to a three-year, $27 million contract last off-season. He totaled 59 combined tackles, 12 passes defensed, six interceptions and a forced fumble over 16 starts last season.
Green, 23, was the No. 15 overall pick by the Texans in the 2022 NFL Draft, and appeared in 27 games over the last three seasons (though he missed the entire 2023 campaign due to a shoulder injury). The 6-foot-4, 325-pound guard appeared in 12 games, including nine starts, last season for the Texans.
Gardner-Johnson expressed his love for Philadelphia in a series of X posts Tuesday morning, writing: “This decision wasn’t mine, but I walk away proud of what we built together. To my teammates: Brothers, we bled, cursed, and laughed through it all. To the coaches and front office: Thank you for trusting a kid from Florida with a chip on his shoulder to lead this defense. And to the Philly Faithful — you’re unmatched. You embraced my edge and fire, for this game even when I got too hot.”
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